Matt Ritchie insists “desire” was the key characteristic which separated AFC Bournemouth from their rivals during the 2014/15 campaign.

And the winger believes the current Newcastle United squad are displaying the same mentality in their quest to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Tuesday night’s comeback victory over Brighton and Hove Albion saw the Magpies reclaim top spot, and they will look to increase their eight-point advantage to third when they take on in-form Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.

“Desire was the main thing in that team,” Ritchie, who won the Championship with Bournemouth in 2014/15, said of that promotion-winning Cherries side.

“I remember playing Bolton in a big game on a Monday night, and we won 3-1.

“It was more about desire and will to win, rather than performance, on the night.

“It’s about: ‘Have you got the mentality to win this game?’ And that Bournemouth team had that.

“In the run-in now, we have to approach every game as a cup final, and we’ll be trying to get maximum points from every game.”

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While the 27-year-old Scotland international rose up the leagues with Bournemouth, he joined Newcastle following relegation last summer as part of Rafa Benitez’s overhaul of the club’s playing staff.

And, though this Magpies squad have only been together for less than nine months, Ritchie sees a togetherness within the group which is reminiscent of the camaraderie he experienced on the south coast.

Social events such as ‘Yedlin’s Tea Party’ may appear trivial to outsiders, but Ritchie insists such gatherings increase and sustain team morale.

“It’s a bit different here in the sense that, at Bournemouth, we came up through the leagues together,” the Magpies winger added.

“We’ve come together this season here, but we’re part of a fantastic group and the lads who have joined have helped that.

“The boys who are here from last season had to get over that disappointment, and we knew what we were coming in for, which was to help the promotion push.

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The Terriers shocked Newcastle 2-1 on Tyneside back in August and have maintained their positive form, establishing themselves as the most likely challengers to Newcastle and Brighton for an automatic-promotion slot.

“It was a tough game that day – they are a good side,” Ritchie recalled.

“People had obviously never been in the Championship, and that’s why they thought it was a crisis after two games, but I knew what the Championship is about so it was no surprise to me. The surprising thing was the reaction of people.

“Some were maybe thinking we would be rolling teams over week in, week out. But that’s just not the case.

“It’s no surprise to me that Huddersfield are where they are.

“I thought they were very good at St James’ Park, the way they pressed off the ball and counter-attacked.